By Marilyn Galang/PNA
TALAVERA, Nueva Ecija — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) turned over on Tuesday a new and modernized evacuation center to the local government unit here that could provide convenience and essential amenities to evacuees in times of calamities.
DPWH Nueva Ecija 1st District Engineer George Santos, 1st District Rep. Estrelita Suansing, and local officials here, led the inauguration and blessing of the PHP32.72-million, one-storey disaster-resilient building in Barangay Sampaloc, this town.
This is one of six evacuation centers being built by the DPWH in Central Luzon.
DPWH Regional Director Roseller Tolentino said the construction of the evacuation center is in line with the government’s efforts to safeguard the Filipinos from calamities through disaster preparedness and mitigation measures.
“This evacuation center is constructed in a low-risk area as identified in the hazard map and is designed to be resilient from any disaster such as flood, earthquake, and other extreme weather events,” said Tolentino in a media interview.
After the blessing rites, the DPWH officially turned over the evacuation center to the local government unit of Talavera, through the Office of Civil Defense Region III (OCD-3), which will facilitate and maintain the infrastructure.
Santos said the DPWH has entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the OCD-3, Talavera local government, Department of Health Region III, and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region III to ensure that the infrastructure will serve its purpose.
Under the MOA, the municipal government is mandated to take over the management and maintenance of the evacuation center; while the OCD-3, DOH-3, and DSWD-3 are tasked to provide necessary assistance in times of calamities.
The evacuation center features an accommodation building with dining room, food preparation/dishwashing area, communication room, breastfeeding, and storage.
The project also includes a separate toilet and bathroom, laundry, drying area and water tank building; generator and pump rooms; and garbage disposal facilities, among others.
Mayor Nerivi Santos Martinez thanked the national government for the construction of the evacuation center, which she said is vital for the residents during calamities.
